Deception
by Rosalind2013
Summary: When she discovers the true identity of Chat Noir, Chloé steps in to help her childhood friend get the girl. What could possibly go wrong?
1. Deception

**This started off as a "What if?" scenario, and turned into this oneshot. I'm really quite satisfied with how it turned out.**

 **Also, this title is a shameless reference to my oneshot collection,** _ **Perception**_ **.**

* * *

 **Deception**

Chloé Bourgeois was nothing if not unyielding.

She kept thick walls between herself and anyone who dared to come near, and for good reason. Compassion was a weakness that people exploited to manipulate others, so Chloé was very careful to ensure that no one knew _who_ or _what_ she cared about.

How could she have known that a passing glance down the wrong alley could shatter all of those carefully constructed walls so thoroughly?

As she huddled in the deserted school bathroom, she tried to calm her erratic breathing. She was _not_ hyperventilating; she was just…surprised, is all.

Chloé took a deep breath and rested her head against the wall she leaned against, closing her eyes against her racing pulse. At least her breathing was somewhat even; a small victory.

Adrien.

Adrien was Chat Noir.

Sweet, innocent, _vulnerable_ Adrien was Chat Noir.

Just the thought of _Adrien_ fighting super powered monsters sent a wave of cold jolting through her until it felt like there was ice coursing through her body instead of blood.

Chloé's blue eyes widened as another thought occurred to her, and the ice in her veins evaporated immediately.

She pictured _Adrien_ dropping cheesy pickup lines and being rejected by Ladybug time and time again.

The mere thought of it made her blood boil with such protective ferocity, that it seemed her body moved of its own accord as she stormed out of the bathroom with fire in her eyes.

Chloé threw open the door to the classroom and stomped her way over to Adrien's desk. Without fanfare, she grabbed him by the arm and hauled him out of his seat.

Ms. Mendeleiv spluttered something along the lines of, "You can't do that!"

The teacher scrambled to block the door and prevent the two of them from leaving.

Chloé fixed the woman with a scathing glare, "I will _end_ you."

The teacher paled, and Chloé shoved past her, dragging the baffled blond model out with her.

"Chlo? Where are we going?" he inquired, looking the tiniest bit frightened.

Good. He _should_ be frightened.

Once they'd reached a deserted classroom, which was reasonably private place, Chloé whirled on him with fiery determination that could have rivaled Ladybug's.

"You imbecile!" she exclaimed, poking him in the chest accusingly.

His summery green eyes widened as he raised his hands in a placating gesture, "What did I do?"

The blonde girl scoffed and crossed her arms across her chest, turning her nose up at him. Adrien eyed her appraisingly as he tried to determine the source of her anger.

"Leave it to you to choose a high traffic area to power down, or whatever you call it! You're just lucky _I'm_ the one who saw you instead of that _Ladyblogger_ ," Chloé stated matter-of-factly.

The blond boy frowned, panic dancing in his eyes despite his casual pose, "What are you talking about? Power down…?"

She rolled her eyes, "Don't play dumb, _Chat Noir_. It doesn't become you."

He froze, staring at her as if she'd just unleashed the contents of his nightmares. She saw the telltale clench of his jaw, and raised a hand to interrupt before he could do something unseemly - like raise his voice at her.

"I know how to keep a secret, Adrikins," she assured him.

He took a deep breath and fixed her with a look that was wild and dangerous, "What do you want in exchange?"

She frowned and crossed her arms, "Why do you assume I have an ulterior motive?"

"There's _always_ an ulterior motive," Adrien murmured, his unwavering gaze locked on her.

Chloé chuckled and flipped her hair, "I see you've been paying attention! That's an important life lesson, you know."

He sighed, combing his fingers through his hair as he regarded her with exasperation, "What is it, Chloé?"

She smiled sweetly; not a trace of deception in her eyes, "In exchange for my secrecy, you will allow me to support you as best I can."

Adrien's jaw dropped, and he stared at the blonde uncomprehendingly.

"What?" he choked out.

Chloe flushed ever so slightly. "I want to help you," she muttered, refusing to meet his gaze.

The model furrowed his brow in disbelief, "But why?"

"Because I care about you," she replied stiffly, still focused on a spot above his head rather than his eyes.

He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "I appreciate it, Chlo. But there's not much you can do to help me."

She cocked her head and rolled her eyes.

"Excuses to miss class, secure locations to change back, cover stories for your father… And you could _definitely_ use help getting Ladybug to notice you," she listed off with a forced air of aloofness.

Adrien pouted in protest, " _She notices me_."

"Yes, about as much as someone notices a five year old pawing at their clothing," Chloé remarked, inspecting her nails nonchalantly.

He narrowed his eyes at her. They both flinched as a bout of impish laughter emitted from the pocket of his overshirt. Plagg phased out into the open, wiping tears from his eyes as he laughed at his chosen.

"I changed my mind, she's not _all_ bad," he exclaimed, slitted eyes flashing with glee.

Adrien rolled his eyes at the cat creature, "Chloé, this is Plagg. He transforms me into Chat Noir."

Chloé glared at the little creature, "If this _thing_ tells anyone what I said…"

The blond boy chuckled and rubbed between Plagg's tiny ears, "He won't. He doesn't care about anything but cheese."

"Camembert, to be precise," Plagg added with a lazy half-lidded grin.

Chloé adjusted her yellow jacket and turned toward the door, "We should get back to class before Sabrina comes looking for me."

Adrien tucked the cat kwami into his pocket and followed her out. He kept pace beside her easily, and bumped her arm with his elbow. He grinned when he realized he had her attention.

"What?" she grumbled.

"I care about you too, Chloé," he chirped, that vulnerable kindness dancing in his eyes.

She flushed with embarrassment at having her previous words acknowledged, and stubbornly faced forward as she walked to class.

"Of course you do," she quipped, just a bit too quickly to be as haughty as intended. She glanced back at him from the corner of her eye, noticing the satisfied bounce in his step.

There was a mischief that danced behind his green eyes, smoldering like the embers of a crackling fire.

It was something that had been buried deep when he'd been forced to grow up so quickly.

Chloé resolved that his flame would never go out again as long as she had a say in it.


	2. Dense

**Very short, but I feel like I'm still getting used to writing Chloé at this point. Hopefully the next one shot will be closer to my usual length.**

 **Dense**

* * *

"So what happened after that?" Chloé drawled, glancing over at Adrien where he was perched on the end of her bed.

"I started to tell her, but I got interrupted by Dark Cupid," he admitted, looking quite glum about the ordeal.

The blonde girl scoffed and flipped the page of her fashion magazine. She lay on her stomach in her fluffy black and white _Gabriel_ pajamas, while Adrien was dressed in designer loungewear.

She paused on a photo of Adrien modeling a sneak peek of the summer line.

"Hm…that shade of blue looks exquisite on you," she remarked, flipping the page as if she'd simply commented on the weather.

"It's a nice change from all the green they usually put me in," Adrien admitted with a wry smile.

Chloé laughed contemptuously, "Honestly, could they _be_ any more unimaginative? Your eyes are lovely but you're modeling clothing, _not_ contacts."

The boy smiled brightly, "Thanks for getting my father to let me hang out here this weekend. It's nice not to be stuck in the house while he's out of town."

She waved her hand dismissively, "Honestly, Adrien. You're welcome anytime. You know that."

"Yeah," he murmured softly.

Chloé pretended not to notice that his face fell, knowing that he'd speak up eventually. Or not; either way was fine with her. A few seconds passed in silence before he turned to face her fully.

"I'm sorry for pulling away, Chlo," he murmured, sadness pooling in his expressive eyes.

The girl took a deep breath and turned her gaze to the blond boy who sat across from her.

"You had a lot going on," she answered, resting her chin against her hand.

Adrien laughed, "I still do."

"Yes, but this time we have a deal. You can't back out on me now," the girl quipped with a conspiratorial wink.

They settled into comfortable silence; the soft music from Chloé's sound system hummed in the background. She flipped another page and admired a color-blocked pocketbook.

"I'm supposed to meet Ladybug tonight," Adrien remarked.

Chloé turned the page of her magazine, and her eyes never left the glossy pages, "Good. Just spit it out when you see her."

She heard him shift on the bed as he pulled his knees up to his chest. It was a clear sign of insecurity, and Chloé realized that she had her work cut out for her.

Everything would be so much simpler if he wasn't so unwaveringly set on wooing Ladybug.

"I know I need to tell her how I feel, but I'm scared she won't want me," he lamented, flopping down on his back beside Chloé.

"Honestly, Adrien. If she's too dense to realize what a great catch you are, she doesn't deserve you," Chloé snapped, giving her hair a sassy flick.

"Wow. That was really encouraging of you," Adrien remarked, an incredulous look on his face.

Chloé smirked at him, a devious look in her cobalt eyes, "Yes, well there's always an ulterior motive."

" _My_ ulterior motive is usually camembert related," Plagg drawled from his place on Chloé's decorative pillow.

Adrien's expression soured and he launched into a debate with the bad luck kwami about the palatability of that particular type of cheese. Chloé reached for another magazine, and came across a spread of photos of Paris's resident superhero duo.

She glanced up at her childhood friend, who had moved on from arguing with Plagg to staring out the window with a faraway look in his eye.

Chloé frowned thoughtfully as she gazed at Ladybug's smiling masked face on the glossy paper of the magazine.

"You better not be too dense, Ladybug," she muttered under her breath.

* * *

She was dense.

She was very dense.

Chloé was mildly concerned.

Of course, every woman had the right to refuse a romantic relationship, even if she had the most desirable teen model in all of Paris pining after her.

Chloé could respect that she knew what she wanted.

No, she was _concerned_ that Ladybug could keep vehemently denying that her crime-fighting partner's advances were romantic in nature.

Sure, he hadn't explicitly told her that he was desperately in love with her, but it was painfully obvious to anyone with eyes. It was why Chloé knew she couldn't talk him out of it.

Chat Noir stood beside Ladybug as the cameras flashed, smiling that fake smile that Chloé usually saw when Adrien was trying to disguise his disappointment. Another one of his admittedly cheesy pickup lines had fallen flat, and Ladybug didn't seem to notice his discontent.

Chloé narrowed her eyes calculatingly as she watched them take off in different directions to detransform. A sly smile stretched across her face as an especially conniving plan occurred to her.

Chloé sauntered back to school with a satisfied grin. She'd help Adrien, but she'd do it _her_ way.


	3. Darkness

**I can't stop writing these Chloé one shots.**

* * *

 **Darkness**

The sky was painted with varying shades of orange and blush as the sun descended below the horizon. At the very top of a popular hotel stood a nervous superhero and a schoolgirl who looked about as friendly as a hungry bear.

"Chloé, I don't think I can do this," Chat Noir murmured. His ears were flattened against his head and his tail lashed out behind him.

"You can, and you _will_ ," the blonde girl asserted. Her hands rested on her hips as she regarded him.

The cat themed superhero narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, "I thought you said my way of doing things would never work."

"I said your pickup lines would never work. If you do as I say, it'll put you on the path to winning her favor," Chloé explained, her head bobbing with attitude as she spoke.

He frowned and wrung his hands together anxiously.

"Look. You're going to march up to Ladybug, demand to speak to her privately, and when she agrees you'll tell her how you feel. Be as sappy and romantic as you want, but leave no room for her to doubt your meaning," the blonde girl said; she poked him in the chest to make her point.

"But what if she turns me down?" he murmured, cat ears drooping sadly.

"Then we'll up the ante," she explained calmly, her cobalt eyes flashing with icy determination.

Chat Noir took a deep breath and squared his shoulders as he met her eyes, "You're not gonna do anything to her, are you?"

Chloé smiled sweetly, "Of course not. You know I'm a huge Ladybug fan, Kittykins."

The superhero cringed at the nickname, "I thought we agreed to leave the pet names out of this?"

The girl smirked deviously, "I agreed to no such thing, Kit-Kat."

Chat Noir groaned, "Stop."

Chloé's grin widened, "Sorry, would you prefer I called you Mittens? _Fluffy_? Oh, I know-"

"Gotta go!" the superhero called just before leaping from the top of the building with the grace of his namesake. Chloé shook imaginary dust from her jacket as she watched him bound across the rooftops, presumably to confess his love to Ladybug.

"Child's play," she muttered with a dark smile.

…

Ladybug sat atop her favorite roof, feet swinging over the edge as she watched the lights of the city twinkle. Chat Noir sat about a foot away, eyeing her with trepidation.

"What's on your mind, Chat?" she inquired, noting the way his tail flicked in agitation.

He took a deep breath and locked eyes with her, "You are."

She smiled softly and shook her head, "Very smooth, Kitty. Really, what is it?"

Chat Noir swallowed, clenching his fists at his sides, "Ladybug, I love you."

The spotted superheroine blinked in surprise, and then her expression softened as she gave him a friendly nudge with her elbow, "I love you too, silly cat."

His heart dropped, and he gave her a wry smile in return, "My Lady. I treasure your friendship more than anything, but I meant to say that I'm _in_ love with you."

She blinked uncomprehendingly, "In…love?"

Chat Noir nodded solemnly, catlike eyes focused only on her. "Yes. Whoever you are behind the mask…I love that girl."

Ladybug paled and recoiled as if his words had struck her. Slowly but surely, she seemed to gather her thoughts, and Chat looked on in the same way a person chained to the tracks watched the train approach.

"Chat… I'm sorry, but I don't see you that way," she murmured, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

He gave her a smile that was much too wide to be sincere, "That's okay, Ladybug. I understand."

She opened her mouth to say something, but he was already on his feet.

"Sorry to cut our meeting short, but I can't keep my friend waiting. See ya later, Bugaboo!" he called, giving a jerky salute before leaping from the building.

Ladybug jerked forward as if to follow after him, but ultimately decided against it. She gave a miserable sigh as she watched him go.

What a magnificent mess she'd stumbled into.

…

A twinge of guilt settled deep in Chloé's chest as she watched Adrien somberly feed his kwami cheese. He hadn't spoken a word since he'd arrived on her balcony two hours prior.

Not even Plagg's playful jabs could coax a word from him.

Chloé considered herself an expert at a lot of things, but cheering people up was not one of her many talents.

"Adrikins?" she called, voice soft and gentle. He sighed and met her gaze, allowing her to see the blank mask he was wearing. His eyes were dim, and she didn't like it.

Chloé frowned as she fumbled for words, "I won't think any less of you if you feel the need to… let it out."

The blond boy blinked at her and wordlessly collapsed on her bed, burying his face in the pillows.

He mumbled something incomprehensible, and Chloé fondly rolled her eyes.

"If it makes you feel any better, this is all part of my plan," she remarked.

His head lifted from the pillows so that he could scrutinize her. She was used to such examination, and held up under his gaze with practiced ease.

"What?" he deadpanned.

Chloé shrugged, "I knew it was likely she'd react that way. Though it _would_ have been easier if she'd simply accepted your affections right away."

Adrien narrowed his eyes at her, "You _knew_ this would happen?"

"I _suspected_ ," she corrected with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Then why'd you tell me to do that?" Adrien demanded, glaring at her with hurt in his eyes. It was obvious that he was feeling betrayed, which was silly considering all the trouble she was going through to help him.

Chloé hummed as she smoothed her hair, "She was in denial, Adrien. By confessing your feelings so openly, you forced her to accept that your advances were genuine."

The blond boy huffed, "What good does that do if she isn't interested in me?"

Chloé smirked, "Oh, it does _plenty_ of good."

Adrien raised his eyebrow, conveying his obvious skepticism.

Chloé's grin grew, and her eyes glinted dangerously, "She said she doesn't think of you that way, right? Now that she knows you're an option, she won't be able to _help_ considering you."

Yes, Chloé's plan was coming along rather nicely, if she did say so herself.


	4. Truce

**Probably the first standalone one shot in this series! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Truce**

Chloé stepped out of the limousine with all the poise of royalty, her glittering gown scattering dancing lights across the pavement as she walked. Adrien climbed out next, with graceful movements and a dazzling camera-ready smile on his face.

And then Nino scrambled out behind him; foot catching on the door and nearly toppling out face first. Luckily, Adrien's catlike reflexes saved the DJ from a committing social suicide in front of the whole of Paris.

Chloé's smile became strained as she strode forward, heels clicking against the pavement while she headed toward the door of the venue. While part of her would have greatly enjoyed teasing Nino about his tumble, the more rational part was grateful that it hadn't been worse.

If he'd fallen, it would have reflected badly on Chloé to be seen with him. After all, they had exited from the same car.

It seemed they'd _all_ dodged a bullet there.

The three of them made it through the doors and past the backstage barricades with no further incidents. Adrien explained the basics of fashion show etiquette to Nino while Chloé kept sharp eyes trained on her surroundings.

It wouldn't do to be caught by surprise, and perhaps she'd catch a glimpse of the Spring Collection before it was shown on the runway.

"And if you have any questions, Chloé can answer them," Adrien finished.

The blonde girl whipped around to face him, causing her loose curls to bounce around her face.

"Uhh, I'll just ask somebody else," Nino offered, noticing the glare Chloé had fixed Adrien with.

The model smiled innocently, "It's fine! Chloé would be happy to help."

The blondes locked eyes, a silent argument raging between them. Nino shifted from one foot to another in an effort to alleviate the awkwardness. It seemed the winner of the argument had been decided when Chloé sucked in a deep breath and squared her shoulders.

She turned to Nino with a carefully neutral expression, "Of course, I'd be happy to help."

Adrien grinned triumphantly and gave her a quick one-armed squeeze.

"Thanks, Chlo!" he chirped, before offering a fist to Nino.

The DJ smiled and returned the fist bump, "See ya later, dude."

"Later Nino!" Adrien called with a cheerful wave.

Chloé watched as her childhood friend disappeared behind one of the curtains.

"So when do we go sit?" Nino asked, looking a bit uncomfortable without Adrien beside him.

"I come and go as I please," Chloé replied in a rather casual manner.

Nino looked unimpressed, "So am I supposed to follow you?"

The blonde girl thought it over and sighed, "I suppose so. Daddy always says the best method of teaching is by example."

A teenage boy who looked about their age emerged from the makeup station, black hair flawlessly tousled and sharp brown eyes that seemed just as calculating as Chloé's.

"Ah, Chloé. You look lovely, as always," he greeted, a polite smile stretched across his face.

Nino frowned just a bit, but remained silent.

The blonde gazed at him through narrowed eyes, "Of course I do. Shouldn't you be off getting your makeup done?"

The dark haired boy grinned, "I just came from there, Miss Bourgeois. You must be particularly unobservant today."

The DJ stiffened as he watched his classmate for any sign of aggression; oddly enough, she seemed calm.

Chloé smiled sweetly, "Oh silly me! I suppose there are _some_ blemishes even the highest quality makeup can't conceal."

Nino's hand flew up to cover his mouth; torn on whether to laugh or feel sorry for the guy.

The dark haired model seemed unsurprised by her jab, and his smile never wavered as his gaze slid over to land on Nino.

"Who's this? A friend of yours?" he inquired, seemingly sizing Nino up. The DJ opened his mouth to reply, but Chloé beat him to the punch.

"A friend of _Adrien's_ ," she corrected, ice in her voice.

The boy extended his hand to Nino, "I am Étienne. Any friend of Adrien's is a friend of mine."

Nino smiled as politely as he could manage and shook his hand, "Nino. Nice to meet you."

"You must be his school friend. I believe I've heard about you," Étienne drawled. Chloé bristled; he was obviously probing for information.

Unfortunately, Nino was an easy target, being unused to such deceptive behavior. Chloé could only imagine what the tabloids would be saying about Adrien's school experience in the morning.

"Yeah, we're bros. Can't say I've heard anything about _you_ though," Nino replied easily. The blonde girl raised an eyebrow at the clear barb in his comment.

Was the DJ actually smart enough to see through Étienne's "nice guy" routine?

Étienne dropped his gaze to the floor and clasped his hands behind his back, "Oh, that's a shame. A lot of the tabloids like to portray Adrien and I as rivals for the slot of Paris's top model. Surely you've heard of _that_."

The dark haired boy's innocent grin was in conflict with the condescending tone of his voice.

Nino furrowed his brow at the haughty model and tapped his chin theatrically, "That's weird. Adrien never mentioned having a "rival". Guess the dude just doesn't see it as a competition."

Étienne gaped in surprise, and Nino blinked innocently.

Oh, he was _good_.

"I suppose he's just too _nice_ to put it that way. I don't think he's as oblivious as everyone thinks he is," Étienne drawled.

Nino stiffened at the insult to his best friend. Chloé simply smirked in satisfaction and shot Nino a conspiratorial look.

"Yes, we all know Adrikins is a sweetheart. I'm sure he'll appreciate it when he hears how much confidence you have in him," she replied, cobalt eyes flashing dangerously.

Étienne openly glared at her for the first time since his approach, but it seemed he'd run out of things to say.

Chloé prepared to go in for the kill, when the subject of their conversation rounded the corner. Adrien's hair and makeup was done, and he approached with a bright smile, "Hey Nino! Hey Chlo! We got done early, so I have a few minutes before I go on."

"Adrien, so nice to see you," Étienne greeted, straightening his tie.

"Oh, I guess you've met Nino already," Adrien commented, coming to stand beside his friend so that Nino was sandwiched in between the two blondes.

"Yes, it's been a pleasure," Étienne replied, and Chloé noted that his "nice guy" smile was back in place.

"Étienne, I believe you walk first," Chloé reminded him, examining her nails.

"Yes, so I'll be going. It was nice talking to you two," he replied, then strode off behind the curtains once again.

Adrien huffed and crossed his arms across his chest, "I don't like that guy very much."

"Me either," Chloé and Nino deadpanned in unison.

The eyed each other with surprise and disbelief.

Adrien snickered, "Looks like you guys finally found something you agree on."

"Don't get used to it," Chloé snapped.

"Probably won't happen again," Nino stated coolly.

The blond boy just shrugged, "You never know. You two might be friends someday."

"Not likely," they replied.

Chloé cleared her throat and adjusted her dress, resolving to move on and pretend that it had never happened. Nino simply fidgeted with his hat, which he'd refused to remove despite the fact that it didn't go with his suit and tie.

Adrien smiled, "You might want to get to your seats. The show's about to start."

Chloé huffed and led the way, hoping against hope that Adrien wouldn't take that whole debacle as a go-ahead to start setting up hangouts for the three of them.

Somewhere deep down, she knew it was good for Adrien to have a male friend. Regardless, she drew the line at sharing her time with Adrien.

Though they missed the first three ensembles, they were in their seats just in time to see Étienne strut across the stage.

Chloé wrinkled her nose, "He's nowhere _near_ as graceful as my Adrikins."

Nino rolled his eyes good-naturedly, "I wouldn't know. I've never seen him on a stage before."

"Runway," Chloé corrected. Her tone was milder and less biting than usual.

"I've never seen him on a runway," Nino repeated, unbothered by the correction.

"He's fantastic. Adrien makes the rest of them look clumsy," she remarked, and her eyes were trained on the coat Étienne was modeling.

Nino raised his eyebrows. Though his personality was unpleasant, Étienne strutted down the catwalk with the poise of a swan. He couldn't imagine that Adrien was that much better.

"Hmm… Pinstripes. Interesting," Chloé mused, her critical gaze sweeping over the ensemble.

Adrien stepped out onto the runway, and the crowd erupted into hushed whispers as he glided forward. An easy smile adorned his face, and his charisma commanded attention from everyone in the room. He breezed past Étienne, who was on his way out, and Nino immediately understood what Chloé meant.

Where the dark haired model was a poised swan, Adrien was a lithe tiger. Étienne strutted around on the catwalk, but Adrien strolled forward like he owned the place. He was eye-catching and confident, with just the right balance of charming and bold.

Nino noticed the shift in the crowd's mood when he disappeared backstage to change into the next outfit.

"Wow," Nino muttered, pleasantly surprised by Adrien's confidence on stage.

"I told you he was fantastic," Chloé remarked, hyperaware of the soft smile on her face. Pride bubbled up in her chest, and for once, she allowed herself to feel it rather than push it away.

Perhaps it was okay to let a _few_ people know that she cared about Adrien. After all, she knew for a fact that he could use someone like her on his side.

* * *

 **Instead of being inexplicably loved by everyone, Étienne is an OC who is inexplicably _hated_ by everyone! *takes a bow to avoid rotten tomatoes***


	5. Discovery

**Hey there!**

 **Sorry this chapter took so long. I've actually been working in it in my free time for the past few weeks. Unfortunately, I haven't had much in the way of free time!**

 **But I finally finished! Big thanks to Sakura Marie being my bouncing board for ideas, and for the akuma theme!**

* * *

 **Discovery**

Chloé huffed in irritation as she stared down at the pavement from her precarious vantage point.

All of her romantic daydreams about being carried away by Adrien seemed to have come full-circle, only to be thrown in her face.

There was _nothing_ romantic about the humiliating way Chat Noir hefted her over his shoulder when he rescued her from the villain of the day.

Her _rear_ was in the _air_ , for heaven's sake!

The blonde girl groaned in utter humiliation, internally cursing her rotten luck. She felt his shoulders stiffen beneath her.

"Oh, are you queasy? I can find a stopping point," he offered in a casually concerned manner as they sailed through the air.

"Yes! Put me down immediately," she snapped.

It wasn't exactly a lie; the embarrassment alone was enough to make her nauseous.

He gently lowered her down onto a stranger's balcony and checked her over for any injuries.

Honestly, Adrien could be _such_ a mother hen at times.

She waved him away with mild irritation, "Oh come now, Kittikins. I'm _fine_."

Chat Noir frowned at her; he didn't look convinced, but also didn't press the matter. Then again, perhaps he was frowning at his undignified nickname. Chloé hoped it was the latter, for entertainment purposes.

"Why is that woman after you?" he inquired, crossing his arms over his chest. She detected a mild undertone of disapproval in his voice, not unlike the tone her father used when she stepped a bit too far out of line.

Chloé flipped her hair, "How should I know?"

His sharp catlike eyes seemed to bore into her, and she felt an almost supernatural prickling sensation on the back of her neck. Perhaps it was an effect of the Black Cat Miraculous. She'd have to bribe Plagg for information later.

"I…may have told her that her shoes were atrocious," the blonde admitted, refusing to meet his gaze, since she had no desire to experience that weird feeling again.

He sighed, shoulders drooping as he gazed at her with…was that _disappointment_?

Chloé felt a strange pang in her chest as she registered the look on his face.

She staunchly reminded herself that she had a plan to focus on, and this attack was a prime _opportunity_ since she was the target. Her comment on the woman's shoes wasn't a mistake; it was an _opportunity_.

Sweet little Adrien simply didn't understand such things.

In a blur of red, Ladybug alighted at Chat Noir's side. She was as poised as ever, even though she looked thoroughly confused by the scene before her.

"Chat? Why are you over _here_?" she inquired with a tilt of her head.

He turned his attention to his partner and waved in greeting as his tail flicked behind him. His entire mood seemed to shift positively just because Ladybug was there.

Chat Noir's lovelorn stare was about as helpful as a hairdryer in a rainstorm. Could he _be_ any more obvious about his infatuation with the girl?

"Protecting Chloé. She's the target," he explained.

Ladybug glanced between the two of them, "I didn't realize you were on a first-name basis with Miss Bourgeois."

Ah. _That_ was something Chloé could work with.

Chloé smirked devilishly and sidled up to Chat Noir, casually looping her arm through his and leaning her head against his shoulder.

The arrangement was flirty enough to incite jealousy, but casual enough to make Ladybug doubt her interpretation of the situation later.

"Well, you could say we're _very_ close," Chloé remarked.

Ladybug blinked in surprise as Chat Noir simply rolled his eyes good-naturedly instead of pushing the blonde girl away, unwittingly playing right into Chloé's plan.

"Since when?" Ladybug challenged.

The superheroine crossed her arms over her chest, and Chloé deduced that she must have been thinking of the dismissive attitude she had toward Chat Noir the last time she'd seen them together.

The cat themed superhero swooped in for a save before Chloé could concoct a satisfactory answer.

"It's a long story, My Lady. We should focus on getting things back to normal," he suggested, giving Ladybug a disarming smile.

Ladybug glanced between her kindly partner and the girl who was attached to his arm. Chloé didn't miss the way her gaze lingered on their joined arms, the beginnings of a fire kindling in her eyes. J

Chloé grinned, "Chat Noir can keep me safe while you fight the akuma. It's the perfect plan."

Incredulity flashed across Ladybug's face as she regarded one Chloé Bourgeois. The spotted superheroine clenched her jaw, and the cat boy stiffened in response.

"You don't make the plans, Chloé. _We_ do," she ground out.

The blonde girl blinked, schooling her expression into a careful mask of innocence as she unlinked her arm from Chat Noir's, "Oh, of course. What was I thinking?"

Chloé withheld a smirk at the hardened look in Ladybug's eye. The spotted superheroine was nothing if not stubborn.

Any further attempts at conversation were halted as Shoe Stopper appeared before them, armed with a pair of deadly looking heels. Swing music filled the air within a fifteen-foot radius of the akumatized villain.

"Chloé Bourgeois," she called in a singsong voice. The blond girl fought back a shudder at the obvious barb in the villain's tone.

The akumatized woman's colorful outfit glittered in the sunlight, her fringed dress hem swung as she walked, and her ornate feathered headpiece blew in the wind. It was all a bit gaudy, for Chloé's taste.

Shoe Stopper's glitzy stiletto heels clicked against the roof as she approached them, brandishing a pair of garish pumps and a crazed smile.

"Ugh, don't tell me you're going to make me wear _those_. They're repulsive," Chloé spat, eyeing the gaudy heels in Shoe Stopper's hands with disgust.

The villain cackled madly, "Oh, but that's the whole point! You get to dance the night away in these ' _repulsive'_ and highly uncomfortable shoes."

On the street below, dozens of civilians were already prancing around in the most hideous stilettos known to man. The reluctant dancers executed a perfect performance of the Lindy Hop in time with the swing music that accompanied Shoe Stopper wherever she went, but exclamations of discomfort sounded with every step.

"I'm all for understanding where someone is coming from, but I definitely wouldn't want to walk a mile in _those_ shoes," Chat Noir remarked.

Ladybug eyed the villain with a calculating expression, "That beadwork on your dress is lovely. Is your look flapper-inspired?"

The woman smoothed her glittery dress, thoroughly distracted by the superheroine's compliment.

"Yes, actually! Vintage clothing is my aesthetic," Shoe Stopper replied with an excited gleam in her eye.

So she was distracting the villain by chatting about something that appealed to her. Chloé took note of that tactic for future reference.

"Are your shoes vintage as well?" Ladybug inquired, giving Chat Noir a subtle hand gesture. Chloé saw the gleam of recognition in his eye, and realized that he must have understood what she wanted somehow.

"No, they're handmade replicas! I made them myself!" she announced, proudly placing her hands on her hips. Shoe Stopper didn't notice when Chat Noir quietly snuck around to stand behind her, because Ladybug was still chatting her up about methods of shoemaking.

In a motion so fast that neither Chloé nor Shoe Stopper caught it, Chat Noir whirled his baton around and swept the villain's feet out from under her. Without missing a beat, Ladybug tossed her yoyo in the air and called for Lucky Charm.

An industrial sized spotted tube of superglue dropped into her waiting hands.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Ladybug muttered, mostly to herself.

Chloé shrieked as Chat Noir tackled her to the ground, narrowly avoiding the glittery shoes that sailed through the air where she'd previously been standing.

He rolled to his feet and pulled her up into a run as Shoe Stopper gave chase. Ladybug tailed them from the rooftops while Chloé struggled to keep pace with Chat Noir as he dodged the projectiles Shoe Stopper threw at them.

Chloé noticed that they were approaching the general direction of her father's hotel, and wondered if they were going to hide inside of it.

Just as Shoe Stopper started gaining on them, Ladybug swooped down from above and hurled the spotted container of superglue at Shoe Stopper's feet, successfully gluing the villain's shoes to the pavement.

It seemed that the battle had been won. Ladybug dropped down beside Chat Noir and Chloé with a triumphant grin despite the fact that her earrings had just beeped their second-to-last warning.

"Looks like the shoe is on the other foot now," Chat Noir teased an unimpressed Shoe Stopper with a gleeful grin.

As the superheroes approached the villain to break her item, Shoe Stopper slipped out of her glue-covered shoes and launched a pair of stilettos at the closest member of the superhero team.

Ladybug ducked out of the way, but the distraction was all Shoe Stopper needed to rush at Chloé. Chat Noir managed to intercept the villain, while Ladybug grabbed Chloé's wrist and pulled her into a run once again.

"Chat! I'm going to recharge! Keep her busy until I get back!" Ladybug called over her shoulder.

"Sure thing, My Lady. Don't stay away too long," he remarked with a flirtatious wink.

Approximately four minutes after Lucky Charm had been cast, Chloé found herself being dragged through the door of Le Grand Paris hotel by Ladybug.

The superhero snatched a handful of complimentary cookies from the front desk and barreled up the staircase at full speed.

The spotted superheroine's earrings beeped again as she sprinted down the halls, and once again, Chloé struggled to keep pace with a superhero while being tugged along for the ride.

"Gotta find somewhere to detransform!" Ladybug huffed.

Of course she did.

Chloé knew enough about the Miraculouses to realize that Ladybug had less than a minute left to find somewhere to hide, or her identity would be out in the open.

Chloé dug her heels in, grimacing when Ladybug's velocity pulled her arm taut. The blonde was dragged a few feet before she latched onto a doorway with her free arm, finally forcing the superhero to stop.

Ladybug whirled around with the intention of giving Chloé a piece of her mind, but the girl ignored her and pulled a key from the pocket of her favorite yellow jacket.

She dangled it in front of Ladybug's face and grinned proudly, "Good thing I have a master key."

Ladybug sighed with relief while Chloé unlocked the nearest unoccupied room. Ladybug placed her hands on the other girl's shoulders and gazed into her eyes with deadly seriousness.

"I'm giving you a very important job, Chloé. Make sure _no one_ opens this door," Ladybug commanded.

The blonde girl nodded her head rapidly.

"I'll defend it with my very life," she promised, laying a hand over heart solemnly.

"Thank you, Chloé," Ladybug replied.

"It's an honor to help a superhero," Chloé gushed enthusiastically.

Said superhero smiled approvingly and disappeared behind the door. Chloé watched for the telltale flash of light, and then dutifully scanned the hallway for any would-be intruders.

The hall was completely deserted, which made Chloé's task even easier. She grinned impishly and twirled the master key on her finger, "Technicalities are my favorite loopholes."

With a satisfied flourish, she unlocked the door and threw it open. Two shrieks of surprise sounded from within, and Chloé locked eyes with the girl behind the mask.

She had wide blue eyes, dark pigtails, and a painfully embarrassing crush on Adrien Agreste. Chloé blinked, as if willing the sight before her to be nothing more than a trick of the light.

The tiny figure that must have been the Ladybug Kwami glared daggers at her. _That_ was definitely not a trick of the light.

Chloé narrowed her eyes at the shell-shocked girl before her. There was something very ironic about the whole situation, but the humor was lost on her. Chloé had never been a fan of irony.

" _Seriously_?" Chloé deadpanned.

She turned on her heel, slammed the door behind her, and marched purposefully down the hall.

"Wait, Chloé! You can't tell _anyone_!" Marinette shouted, jogging beside her with a panicked expression.

Chloé spared her a passing glance, but never broke her stride.

"What I do is none of your business," she snapped.

Suddenly, Marinette was standing before her looking as unmovable as a mountain. Fire blazed in her eyes, and Chloé fought back the urge to shrink under her gaze.

There was something about Ladybug's expression on Marinette's face that was far more intimidating than should be possible.

"You _will not_ jeopardize the safety of my family and friends by revealing my identity, Chloé," Marinette commanded, eyes narrowed and fists planted on her hips.

Chloé scowled at her, "I know how to keep a secret."

Marinette's gaze softened a bit, "This isn't a regular secret. It's very dangerous information."

The blonde rolled her eyes, "How do you know I don't _already_ know a secret like that?"

The pigtailed girl looked unimpressed, "Chloé. I need your word that you won't tell anyone who I am."

Chloé huffed, "Fine. I won't tell anyone…on one condition."

Marinette's anger flared up once more, and Chloé could see the metaphorical steam rising from her ears.

"Chat Noir," Chloé replied coolly.

"Chat Noir?" Marinette parroted, confused as to why she would bring him up.

"He doesn't know. You're going to enlighten him," Chloé elaborated, crossing her arms over her chest. The dark haired girl looked absolutely flabbergasted.

"Why?" she challenged, bluebell eyes narrowed in suspicion.

" _For my sanity_ ," Chloé snapped, stepping around Marinette to board the elevator.

Marinette rushed onto the elevator before the door could close, "I'm not telling Chat Noir who I am! That could be just as dangerous-"

"As what? _Me_ knowing? It's a bit too late for that, Marinette," Chloé interrupted, hands on her hips.

Marinette set her chin stubbornly as she stared Chloé down. The only sound that passed between them was the soft chime of the elevator as it passed each floor.

"Fine. Deal's off then," Chloé stated as the doors opened on the ground floor. A dozen or so unaffected citizens had taken refuge in the lobby, and were watching the fight through the front windows of the hotel.

Marinette growled as she rushed after the blonde girl, "No, I'm not finished-"

"He's out there fighting that thing by himself," Chloé snapped, whirling around to fix Marinette with an icy glare.

"I'll be out there as soon as we finish this discussion," Marinette argued.

"He needs _Ladybug_ , not you," Chloé remarked, presenting the master key to Marinette with a begrudging smile. It wasn't quite a peace offering, but it should reassure her that Chloé wasn't going to shout her identity to the world as soon as she turned her back.

Marinette raised an eyebrow at her, but took the offered key.

"Thanks, Chloé," she murmured.

The blonde tossed her hair and turned to face the door of the hotel, "Don't mention it… _ever_."

Chloé watched the battle between Chat Noir and Shoe Stopper rage outside while she listened to Marinette's retreating footsteps.

She took a deep breath to center herself and strode right out the doors, ignoring the incredulous whispering of the citizens who were hiding inside. From her strategically hidden spot behind a rather large poster of Adrien, she was able to properly appreciate the fighting prowess of Chat Noir.

His movements were swift and powerful as he defended the entrance to Le Grand Paris. Though he danced around Shoe Stopper in a show of surprising grace, he never gave any ground. It was strange to think that it was sweet little Adrien out there trash talking the supervillain.

It was beyond impressive. _He_ was beyond impressive.

Chloé's lips twitched upward in a bittersweet smile; perhaps she was the slightest bit disappointed that he had fallen for someone other than her. Far be it from Chloé to deny such a gentle soul his happiness, though.

Where Adrien was a gentle breeze, Chat Noir was a hurricane tearing across the battlefield. He was wild, unbridled, and destructive.

Then, he faltered.

A misplaced step here, and a miscalculated swing there.

Chloé puzzled over the sudden change, and mentally slapped herself when she realized that his breathing was labored.

He was exhausted.

He'd been keeping the woman busy the whole time Chloé was inside arguing with Marinette. Chat Noir may have been very resilient, but there was only so much physical exertion one person could take.

Chloé's heart dropped as she watched helplessly from the sidelines when Shoe Stopper got in a lucky kick. Chat Noir stumbled back a few steps, and the akumatized woman grinned gleefully as she took in the fatigued tremble of his baton-wielding hand.

Then Ladybug descended upon the battle like an avenging angel, beating Shoe Stopper back in a flurry of aggressive yoyo strikes. Chat Noir sighed in relief and fell into step behind his partner, allowing Ladybug to take the lead.

Within a few minutes, Chat was able to use Cataclysm on the pavement Shoe Stopper's stilettos were glued to, freeing the shoes so that Ladybug could release the butterfly from them.

She cleansed the akuma and tossed the Lucky Charm in the air, reverting everything back to normal and freeing the reluctant dancers from the spell.

Chloé approached the superheroes cautiously, taking stock of Chat Noir's weary state. His breath came in short gasps and his legs sporadically quivered with exertion.

Ladybug seemed to have noticed too, and her eyebrows pulled together in concern.

"Well, that was a _sole_ crushing defeat," he remarked with a winded chuckle.

"Are you okay, Chat?" Ladybug inquired, taking a subtle step toward her partner. Her hand twitched forward, as if she wanted to touch him but thought better of it.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. Shoe Stopper couldn't keep up with this cat," he remarked, offering the superheroine one of his cheerful grins.

Chloé scoffed at Ladybug's internal conflict and marched up to the cat-themed superhero, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest.

"Don't scare me like that," she ordered, voice muffled by the fabric of his suit. He smiled softly and returned the embrace, much to Ladybug's surprise.

"You don't get scared," he teased, a playful grin stretching across his face.

"I _shouldn't_. That's why you have to be more careful, Kittikins," she remarked matter-of-factly.

Ladybug wrinkled her nose in distaste, " _Kittikins_?"

Chat Noir echoed her expression over Chloe's shoulder, "Kinda makes you appreciate the nicknames _I_ give you. Right, Bugaboo?"

Chloé pulled away from him with a start, "Wait! I know who Ladybug is."

Chat's slitted eyes widened exponentially, "What?"

Ladybug paled, "No! Chloé, you promised!"

The blonde barked out a short laugh, "I promised nothing. I offered you a deal."

The spotted superheroine waved her arms around in a panic, "I'm sure we can talk about this and come to some sort of agreement!"

Chloé looked thoroughly unamused by Ladybug's suggestion and turned to Chat Noir with a devious grin, "Ladybug is-"

In an instant, Ladybug's hand was clamped over Chloé's mouth.

"I accept your deal," Ladybug blurted, alarm evident in her voice. A moment passed before the superheroine removed her hand from the blonde's person.

Chloé smirked in triumph, "Good. You have a month to complete your end of the bargain, or our agreement is voided."

Chat Noir frowned in disapproval and opened his mouth to chastise her, but was distracted by the beeping of his ring.

"You better get going, Kit-Kat," the girl hummed, looking much too smug about the situation.

The superhero hesitated as he looked between his partner and his childhood friend, "We're discussing this _later_ , Chlo."

"Of course," Chloé answered sweetly.

"I'll see you around, My Lady," he murmured, giving a little bow before jumping onto the rooftops.

Ladybug glared at Chloé with a fiery rage, "If you breathe a word of this, I will-"

"I'm going to be late for the class headcount if I don't hurry. I hope Marinette isn't late too," Chloé remarked as she sauntered off in the direction of the school.

She grimaced when her shoes pinched uncomfortably. While cute, her flats weren't made for running. Ladybug swung from the buildings overhead, performing astounding aerial acrobatics for the gathered crowd below.

"Should've made her carry me back to school," Chloé grumbled.

If a few blisters were the price she had to pay to put her plan in motion, she decided it wasn't too steep. After all, it was nothing a good pedicure couldn't remedy.


	6. Deluded

**I had this sitting on my computer for weeks. Weeks, I tell you. It needed a second half, and I finally got around to writing it!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Deluded**

Chloé Bourgeois strutted through the doors of the school with a positively terrifying smile on her face. A group of younger students quailed and skittered away as she approached.

The blonde practically oozed satisfaction as she made her way to the classroom, and the other students parted like the Red Sea to allow her passage. A smile like hers could only spell trouble, and none of them wanted to be in the path of imminent destruction.

Sabrina trotted along behind her, rattling off all the gossip she'd missed during the akuma attack that day while Chloé ignored all of it. After all, nothing that happened at school could possibly top the information she uncovered earlier.

Chloé took one step into the classroom, and her eyes immediately snapped to Marinette, who seemed to be hiding her nerves behind a stoic mask. Marinette's poker face needed some work, though. It was obvious to Chloé that her emotions were a veritable tempest beneath the surface.

Honing in on the cracks in Marinette's defense, Chloé gave her classmate a sharp grin. The pigtailed girl stiffened, as expected.

It was there in her posture, though; the ferocity that made Ladybug a force to be reckoned with. It had _always_ been there, and Chloé wondered how she had possibly missed it before.

The blonde's gaze dropped to Adrien, who was staring at her with the intensity of a thousand suns.

He'd probably spew some self-sacrificing speech about how he shouldn't be told Ladybug's identity, despite the fact that it was what he wanted more than anything in the world. She could practically hear his mind-numbing arguments about _honor_ and _respect_.

Chloé rolled her eyes and sauntered over to her table, taking a seat with a flourish and staring forward as she waited for class to start. Marinette's foot tapped out a nervous beat against the floor, and Chloé savored her discomfort.

 _Ladybug's_ discomfort.

By the time school was finished for the day, their class president looked ready to explode. Before she could make her escape, Chloé slammed her hand down on the table, effectively blocking Marinette's exit.

"So, Marinette…" Chloé drawled.

Her bluebell eyes were wide as she gazed up at Chloé with increasing horror. Chloé maintained a neutral expression despite the pure delight she felt at seeing Marinette so vulnerable.

In an instant, Marinette's wide eyes were full of warning instead of fear. The dark haired girl's determination hardened her gaze, but Chloé was impervious.

"What do you think of Chat Noir?" she inquired, pursing her lips at the utterly bewildered look on Marinette's face.

"Chat Noir?" Marinette parroted. Her eyebrows were drawn together in confusion. Chloé could feel her patience growing thin.

"Isn't he hot?" Chloé demanded, placing a hand on her hip.

Despite the fact that most of the class had been occupied gathering their things up to go home, the room lapsed into silence immediately. Every ear was trained on Chloé and Marinette's conversation.

Marinette blinked, "Uh… If you're into that kind of thing, I guess?"

The last little frayed edges of Chloé's patience snapped _. Just how deluded_ -

"He's gorgeous, you dolt," she snarled.

Chloé saw Adrien stiffen at the edge of her vision, but she staunchly refused to break eye contact with her victim. Marinette's jaw dropped.

The blonde girl slapped on a pointy grin and lowered her voice conspiratorially, "Well if _you're_ not interested, I suppose there's nothing stopping me."

Marinette narrowed her eyes in suspicion as her Ladybug ferocity bubbled to the surface, "Stopping you from what?"

Chloé barked out a laugh, "Bagging myself a cat, of course!"

With that, she turned on her heel and strode out the door without a backward glance.

…

* * *

Later that week, Ladybug and Chat Noir faced yet another akumatized villain. The Wedding Planner had been rather simple to deal with, and the battle wrapped up in less than an hour. Chloé was relieved, because she had a nail appointment she just couldn't bear to miss.

The Miraculous Cure cleaned up the mess left behind, and Chloé smirked from her place on the sidewalk.

Ladybug turned to Chat Noir with an expectant smile, curling her fingers into a fist as she prepared for their traditional fist bump. Chloé schooled her face into a mask of concern as she rushed out into the street and tackled Chat Noir in a hug before Ladybug's fist could make contact.

The superheroine blinked in surprise while Chloé brushed imaginary dust from Chat Noir's shoulders.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're okay, Kittikins," Chloé drawled, patting his cheek affectionately.

His slitted eyes were wide as he glanced between the two girls.

"Chloé, were you following-?" he began.

"Of course! I couldn't stand by while you were in danger," Chloé explained, cuddling into his chest theatrically.

" _Kittikins_?" Ladybug repeated, eyes narrowed at the blonde who interrupted their celebration.

Chat Noir winced, "It's just a silly nickname, My Lady."

Chloé smirked at the superheroine and patted the cat themed superhero's chest; "I give nicknames to all of my _closest_ friends."

Though he didn't show any signs of enjoying the embrace, Chat Noir made no move to disentangle himself from Chloé's grip. It was as if he was accustomed to her behavior and knew better than to struggle.

All of the signs pointed to the fact that Chloé truly _was_ close to Chat Noir. Ladybug's eye twitched.

The catboy noticed his partner's discontentment and wriggled an arm free from Chloé's viselike grip. He gave Ladybug an apologetic grin as he offered her his fist.

"Pound it?" he suggested, despite the fact that Chloé still hadn't released him. The blonde girl looked Ladybug in the eye and winked.

The spotted superheroine glared at the girl for a moment before accepting the offered fist.

"Pound it," Ladybug echoed, forcing a smile for her partner.

The superheroine disengaged her yoyo from its spot on her hip and threw it out with unnecessary force. Chloé snickered as Ladybug took off, absolutely seething.

She finally released Chat Noir, who gave her a questioning stare before heading off himself.

The next day, Chloé received the gift of watching Marinette react to the front page of the newspaper, which featured a picture of Chloé embracing Chat Noir.

" _Does Ladybug have Competition_?" the headline read. The paper crumpled in Marinette's ever-tightening grip.

Adrien looked horrified by the headline. Thankfully, no one but Nino seemed to notice his plight. The pigtailed girl scowled at Chloé who simply shrugged and smiled back at her.

"Chloé, are you dating Chat Noir?" Lila demanded, eyes sparkling with equal amounts of curiosity and jealousy.

The blonde hummed and examined her nails, "Not _yet_."

The classroom exploded into questions about how she met him and what he was like. Amidst the chatter of their classmates, Chloé locked eyes with Marinette and gave her a taunting wink.

The girl flushed with rage.


	7. Memories

**I sat down to write some friendship/bonding/humor stuff, but something else popped up instead. Now I have a chapter of feels?**

 **I seriously have no idea how this happened. Sorry if it's a bit too serious in comparison to the rest!**

* * *

 **Memories**

Chloé walked alongside her childhood friend as they navigated the halls of _Le Grand Paris Hotel_. They had both managed to slip away unnoticed in the midst of the luxurious cocktail party hosted by her father. It was full of cold pleasantries and false smiles, and neither of them truly enjoyed that sort of mindless drivel.

She stared straight ahead; ignoring the scrutinizing look Adrien was giving her. If she acknowledged him, they'd have to talk, and Chloé had no idea what to say.

The blonde girl froze when Adrien placed his hand on her upper arm. His touch was light and gentle, and she couldn't refuse to meet his eyes any longer. She turned to face him, icy blue colliding with grassy green in silent conversation.

Chloé faltered under the intensity of his gaze, and her heart squeezed painfully in her chest. She cleared her throat to rid it of that mysterious constricted feeling.

"What is it?" she murmured. She meant to say it in a demanding tone, but it came out much weaker than she would've liked.

Adrien's brow creased as his lips tugged down in a slight frown. He leaned a bit closer and spoke in a low voice, "Chlo, what's going on?"

She felt a prickling sensation behind her eyes and was startled to find that she was tearing up. Chloé squeezed her eyes shut in an effort to compose herself, but her lip had already begun to quiver and she knew it was a lost cause.

She felt the weight of Adrien's other hand settle on her shoulder, and she viciously attempted to beat her feelings into submission. She was stronger than that; she would _not_ show weakness.

Chloé peeked up at Adrien, and was stricken by the ocean of empathy that brimmed within his emerald eyes.

"Your mother. It was this day, wasn't it?" he whispered.

Chloé's eyes narrowed in indignation despite the moisture that had already begun to overflow, and she gave his chest an angry little shove.

" _Don't speak of that woman_! I don't want to think about-" Chloé's voice cracked, and she averted her eyes in shame.

Despite her prickly retort, Adrien tugged her into a warm hug and maneuvered his arms so that they were circled around her upper back.

 _A perfect gentleman_ , Chloé noted with an edge of bitterness. It was a shame that his heart had already been snatched up by someone else. Even worse, that _someone else_ was completely oblivious to the treasure she held in the palm of her hands.

It was something that happened all too often, in Chloé's opinion. Her throat constricted as a deluge of unwanted memories surged to the surface, slipping through the cracks in her defense with unfair ease.

The blonde girl buried her face in Adrien's chest and allowed her tears to soak into his dress shirt, clutching the lapels of his immaculate suit jacket like a lifeline. Her shoulders quaked as she continued to fight the sobs that threatened to claw their way up her throat.

Adrien remained silent; wisely choosing to say nothing about her breakdown. After a long while, Chloé took a steadying breath and leaned back enough that she could smooth the wrinkles she'd put in his shirt.

She pouted when she realized that it would have to be pressed in order to remove the worst of them.

"I've probably ruined your button-down," Chloé commented in an uncharacteristically reserved tone of voice.

"It's just a shirt," Adrien replied easily.

Chloé wiped at her eyes, and was horrified to realize that her fingers were smeared with black. _That no-good waterproof mascara had run_.

"Oh _no_! I look like a raccoon!" she squealed in a panic, burying her face in her hands.

Adrien chuckled and peeled her hands away from her face, "It's nothing a bit of makeup remover can't fix. We'll go up to your room and do a little touchup."

The girl nodded and allowed him to lead her to the elevator and up to her floor. They entered her immaculate bedroom, and she took a seat in front of her vanity. Adrien offered her a facial wipe, which she used to remove the black streaks from her cheeks.

Chloé sniffed and gazed at the blond model imploringly, "Could _you_ do my makeup, Adrikins?"

He blinked in surprise, "I thought you preferred to do it yourself?"

"I do!" Chloé snapped. He tilted his head to the side cutely, and she instantly regretted shouting at him. It was hard to stay angry at a face like his.

"But my hands won't stop shaking…" she explained in a small voice.

His face stretched into a cheerful grin as he snatched up the eyeshadow brush with a flourish.

"You'll look runway-ready in no time," he announced.

Chloé rolled her eyes, "How about ' _cocktail-party_ -ready' instead?"

The model chuckled as he reapplied her eyeshadow with practiced strokes.

"You're using neutrals, aren't you?" she demanded.

Adrien shrugged, "You asked _me_ to do your makeup. You knew you were signing up for a fresh-faced look."

Chloé scowled at him, "At least give me a smoky eye or winged liner, then."

The model smirked, "Your request has been noted. Now close your eyes and hold still."

Adrien finished up and took a step back to allow Chloé access to the mirror. She inspected his workmanship with a critical eye, tilting her head to and fro.

"It needs more…drama," she decided.

He arched a perfectly shaped brow at her. She stared back at him unflinchingly, despite his incredulous expression.

The girl rolled her eyes, "Well? Do something."

Adrien sighed good-naturedly and tapped his chin while he thought.

"Okay. I'll give you falsies and we'll call it a night," he allowed, and fixed Chloé with a playful grin.

She smiled back, "Deal."

They returned to the mayor's social event, and consequently, to the realm of insincere compliments and frenzied networking. Adrien stayed faithfully attached to her elbow the rest of the night, offering her reassuring smiles and silent support. Even amidst the frigid greetings and icy stares, Chloé felt immeasurable warmth in her chest.

One of her father's associates prattled on about his accomplishments in an effort to endear himself to Chloé, and she caught Adrien's eye as she searched for an escape route. He made an exasperated face, and Chloé fought back a snicker. Those horrid social events were definitely better when she had a friend like Adrien by her side.


End file.
